This op-ed that appeared in the Wall Street Journal and below is my response to it. RAYMOND BATVINIS, PhD RESPONSE: I am writing in response to Professor Justin Walkers editorial entitled The FBI Was Dangerous When It Was Independent published in The Wall Street Journal on March 26, 2018. I’ll start with Walker’s assertion that […]
Given the gravity of the controversy swirling around the Trump/Comey private Trump Towers and White House meetings and Comey’s recently published book “A Higher Loyalty” I am posting James Comey’s memos recounting those conversations. Right now they are the best evidence of what occurred. They’re critical for both prosecutors, the president’s lawyers and generations of […]
April 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the FBI’s largest manhunt for James Earl Ray, killer of Martin Luther King, Jr. This article by Susan E. Lloyd (FBI 1979-2004) was published in the April 2018 issue of The Grapevine, a publication of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. Because of the breadth of […]
It was one of the largest criminal investigations in the history of the bureau, no question. I was interviewed by ABC News on the FBI’s hunt for James Earl Ray: Inside The International Manhunt For Martin Luther King Jr.’s Killer (ABC News) Thousands of FBI agents spent months hunting down every lead looking for Martin […]
The FBI’s legal attache in London during World War II received espionage, counterespionage and intelligence decrypts of ULTRA messages which were then sent to the FBI offices in America as leads. The FBI’s codename for these messages was called OSTRICH. I explain more about these files in this short video: FILES OSTRICH File 1 .pdf […]
HPSCI memo released to the public on 2 February 2018: HPSCI Memo: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Abuses at the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (pdf) HPSCI minority memo: Correcting the Record–The Russian Investigations (pdf)
Over the next few months I’ll be posting various FBI files that researchers of FBI World War II investigations and activities may find useful. The first in the series is the complete Index (OF10b) of FBI reports that J. Edgar Hoover sent to the White House from September 1, 1939 until President Roosevelt’s death on […]
I wrote this FBI history article which appeared in the October/November 2017 issue of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. – November 16, 2017 marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of the FBI Legal Attaché Office in wartime London by a 28-year-old Special Agent named Arthur Thurston. It […]
This FBI history article appeared in the August 2017 issues of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. The article was written by by David H. Cutcomb (FBI 1968-1988). Marsh Chapel Sanctuary Event (pdf) In 1968, as an FBI Agent assigned to the Boston Office and a Marine veteran of […]
This FBI history article appeared in the July 2017 issues of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. The article was written by by Greg Stejskal (FBI 1975-2006) 3:10 To Marquette: The Manhunt and Capture of Vincent Loonsfoot in the North Woods of Michigan (pdf) In the summer of 1988, Vincent […]
I had the honor of being interviewed for the podcast “FBI Retired Case File Review” with Jerri Williams, which is a true crime podcast where she interviews retired agents about their high-profiled Bureau cases. For my interview, I reviewed the history of the FBI’s counterintelligence program and past and current investigations of Russian interference in U.S. policies. […]
Over the recent Memorial Day weekend my wife and I took a breather to Ocean City, Maryland for some getaway time. Our plan was to ease back on our beach chairs strategically placed at a favorite shoreline spot and soak up some pre-summer sun. Mother Nature, spiteful cuss that she is, had other ideas. Yes, […]
I wrote this FBI history article about the lives of Willy Fisher (above left), aka Rudolph Abel, and FBI Special Agent Paul Blasco (above right) and when their lives intersected on 21 June 1957. This article appeared in the June 2017 issues of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the […]
I will be speaking at the International Spy Museum on June 14 as part of their Author Debriefing series about counterintelligence, German atomic espionage efforts, FBI/British wartime relations, and radio deception conducted during the most critical part of the Second World War. Don’t miss it! – In June of 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt met with British Prime Minister […]
Here I am in DC with the nation’s first spymaster, George Washington. Here’s a tip, if you want to work undercover, don’t wear bright orange! at GWU More George Washington, Spymaster (Mount Vernon) When history books praise the heroes of the American Revolution, they seldom include names like Agent 711 and John Bolton along with […]
I was interviewed on a new British documentary called “Spying on the Royals” about a secret government plot to eavesdrop on Edward VIII. I’m shown above with editor Chris Roots during the filming of my segment. Here is the trailer for the show: More information How MI5 spied on the KING: An explosive new documentary […]
This FBI history article appeared in the April 2017 issues of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. The article was written by by Terrence Hake (FBI 1981-1988) with contributions from David Grossman (FBI 1978-1999), David Ries (FBI 1976-2000) and William Megary (FBI 1977-1999). FBI Grapevine: Operation Greylord (pdf) For […]
A few days ago the one of my students at George Washington University sent me this photo with the accompanying joke. She knows how much I enjoy the entire Holmes/Watson phenomenon and thought I would get a good laugh out of it. Which I certainly did. I hope it brightens your day as well. Enjoy!
My friend and fellow historian, Dr. John Fox (the FBI’s Historian), shared with me the following FBI dates of interest over the past century. I’m in turn offering it to you. I hope you enjoy it. 2017 100 Years Ago 01/31/1917 BOI acquires note re German plans to commence unrestricted submarine warfare. The note leads […]
This FBI history article appeared in the March 2017 issues of The Grapevine, published by the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. The article was written by Greg Stejskal (FBI: 1975-2006). Kidnapping for Ransom: Bad Business Mode (The Grapevine, March 2017) (pdf) It was February, 1980 in Detroit. I was assigned to the FBI surveillance squad. It […]
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